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Showdown Looms in Rivers Assembly as Commissioners, Others Get Ultimatum

Rivers State House of Assembly has extended its invitation to Commissioners and Head of Government parastatals to Monday, May 18, 2015.

The Deputy Speaker of the House, Leyii Kwanee, who presided over the plenary, gave the extension following theabsence of some commissioners others.

Kwanee declared: “If any person wants to test the will of this House, on Monday 18th 2015, 10a.m., we will be compelled to issue a warrant of arrest. No one can test the will of the House.”

The House had summoned the nine commissioners for Finance, Agriculture, Power, Health, Tourism, Information, Budget, Works and Transport.

Heads of ministries, department and agencies (MDAs), the Accountant-General, Chairmen of Board of Internal Revenue, Rivers State Assembly Service Commission and Secondary School Management Board.

But, on Thursday, only three Commissioners – Transport, Budget and Power – as well as the chairman, Rivers State Assembly Service Commission, appeared before the House.

The state lawmakers had summoned the government officials over the state’s economy and conflicting reports from government, which they said were “very embarrassing” to them, following a motion brought by the Deputy House Leader, Nname Ewor.

As the session commenced, the Deputy Speaker, Kwanee, had suggested that the House should adjourn to the next sitting to allow other officers invited to be present, adding that some of the commissioners wrote in to ask for permission.

Kwanee’s suggestion was strongly opposed to by some of the lawmakers, particularly the Deputy House Leader, Ewor, representing Ahoada East Constituency I and Benibo Anabraba, representing Akuku-Toru Constituency II.

Ewor, who presented motion, expressed: “If we want to screen them, they will rush down from any part of the world they are, to attend because they want to get job. This is a matter of urgent importance. I do not know what is more important to them than this. We need to do something, so, that we can be taken serious.

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Ihesiulo Grace

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